1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to devices that are used to train players to better play the game of basketball. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices that present a false opponent or other obstacle on a basketball court.
2. Prior Art Description
Basketball is a well known sport that requires many different skills to play well. For example, players need ball shooting skills, ball dribbling skills, and ball passing skills, just to name a few. Many of the required skills can be practiced by a lone player. However, many others cannot.
Basketball is a team sport. Thus, practicing passing and executing plays requires more than one player. Furthermore, in a real game of basketball, two teams play against each other. Thus, basketball is really a two team sport. Consequently, teams not only have to practice plays with teammates, they have to practice those plays while being challenged by the players of an opposing team.
Shooting, dribbling and passing a basketball around opposing players are skills that must be practiced. However, they are usually the skills that are practiced least. Often a basketball coach does not have enough players to field two opposing teams for practice. Furthermore, the coach himself may lack the physical abilities needed to personally challenge a gifted player during practice.
It is for these reasons that many coaches use training devices to help develop player skills. In basketball, there have been developed many different training devices that are intended to simulate an opposing player. These training devices typically come in the form of a dummy that can be wheeled onto a basketball court. Players can then practice dribbling, shooting and passing around the dummy form. Such prior art training devices are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,185 to Davis, entitled Athletic Training Device, U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,749 to Piggotte, entitled Basketball Practice Aid, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0225089 to Jones, entitled Man-like Dummy Player Figure As A Practicing Tool For Basketball Training.
Although such dummy forms may have height adjustments and wheels that enable the dummy figures to be wheeled into place, the dummy forms are otherwise static during basketball practice. Since the dummy forms do not move during practice, they are not very realistic and therefore have limited value. A practice dummy form would be far more useful if it were more representative of a real player. For instance, if the dummy form could move quickly around a basketball court, change orientation and change height on the move to better exemplify a jumping opponent, it would be a more effective practice tool.
A need therefore exists for a dummy form for mimicking a basketball player that is self-supporting, yet can be moved quickly during play to affect play. The need also exists for a mobile dummy form that can be quickly changed in height to mimic a jumping opponent during play. In this manner, the dummy figure can more realistically mimic the actions of a real opposing player. These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed below.